One…Two…Three…Four…Five… commence the outburst, the tears, and the yelling “No count Mommy!!!”… Here you have two very determined and head-strong personalities clashing in a battle of wills: Mommy vs. The 3yr Old. And though Mommy wins the round, she always feels like she has lost the match. Sigh… Parenting is so hard. It is ridiculously hard. It’s tough to be…
Crystal Joy
I am a dreamer. I am an artist. I am an adventure-seeker. I am a storyteller. I am a wife. I am a mommy. I am a cancer survivor. My name is Crystal Joy Hall. Share in my journey at crystaljoyhall.com.
My heart is bursting with emotions – of sadness, nostalgia, pride, excitement, happiness, and loneliness. Last night I couldn’t settle my mind. My sleep was disjointed and fraught with dreams that I cannot remember, but simply feel the haziness of their presence around me. Why am I so unsettled? Why am I feeling so lonely? Why am I worried? …
Okay. So I don’t mean to make light of a mammogram, but the upcoming test is totally freaking me out. The emotions that I am experiencing are mammoth. I am terrified on levels I haven’t felt since my battery of tests last year; and I feel trapped in a time warp – the memory of walking into the examining room…
And so we find ourselves in the midst of the tempestuous threes. The turbulent and tumultuous emotions exuding from our darling little 3 year old every minute of his waking hours are exhausting, frustrating, and sometimes a bit embarrassing to cope with. Though I know this is yet another phase, another developmental leap that he is making, it can almost…
And so it is a New Year. For many it is a time of reflection: What do I wish for myself? For my family? For the world? What accomplishments made in the previous year can I be proud of? Did I reach my goals? Did I keep my resolutions? What about my life, has changed for the better? What do…
As the new year slowly approaches I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. I remember this time one year ago; the fragility I felt both emotionally and physically post breast cancer treatment. I was overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude [for being alive], love, vulnerability, and fear. My body was healing, but the mastectomy compromised some of my muscles and…
Tis the season to be lonely. Yes. It’s true. The Christmas season, albeit merry and bright for some, can also be isolating and lonely for others. I know that I have been feeling lonely, despite all the people that rally around me on a daily basis. I still feel very lonely. I’m not sure if it is the Christmas season that…
The two little words I’m Fine are often deceiving. Are you fine? Are you merely saying that because you feel that no one wants to hear your problems? No one wants to shoulder the burden of your sorrows? No one will understand? It’s possible. But I can tell you with certainty that there are many incredible souls out there that will…
The realities of marriage are complicated, frustrating, and trying. It’s riddled with endless responsibilities, compromises, and financial frustrations. You and your spouse fall into a dangerous rut of routines, absorbed with work, paying bills, household chores, parenting, etc. You forget to connect. You forget to appreciate each other. You are too tired to have deep and meaningful conversations. You sit…
The aromatic scents of cacao, cumin, toasted nuts, and caramel; the bold, rich, and distinct flavours that tickle the tongue; the soothing sensation of warmth throughout your body. There is something delectable, exotic, and comforting about coffee. And to the desperately exhausted, there is also a cruel necessity of the caffeine within. As a cancer survivor battling through fatigue;…